Electric heater for fluids



1927' J. H. VALIQUETTE ELECTRIC HEATER FOR FLUIDS Filed March 1. 1926Attorney Patented July 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH MY VALIOUIT'I'I, O1 SPBUGII'IILD,

ELECTRIC HEATER FOB ILUIDB.

Application fled luck 1, 1950. Serial Io. 81,615.

This invention relates toimprovements in electric heaters for fluids,and particularly to heaters for radiators, .boilers, and the like. 2

An object of the invention resides in providing an electric heater ofthe character above stated which may be readily applied to a suitablefluid system in a manner that the heat from the heating unit containedin the device will efliciently circulate the fluid in the system, asocket in the device removably receiving the heating element so that itmay be removed and replaced without interfering with the fluid in thesystem or the connection of the device therewith.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a device of thischaracter wherein a header is adapted to assemble and mount all of theparts of the device, and fit- ,ting for attachment to a radiator boileror the like to be heated, and which permits of the removal of theheating element and its support without interfering with the circmtconnections between the device, and the fluid system to be heatedthereby.

The invention further comprehends improvements in the details ofconstruction and the relation of the parts which are more particularlypointed out in the following description and claim directed to apreferred form of the invention, it being understood, however, thatvarious changes in the size, shape and arrangement of the parts may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asherein set forth.

In the drawing forming part of this application:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a radiator showing the application ofthe invention thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the heater with the endportions broken away and shown in longitudinal section.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

The improved heater may be applied to radiators, boilers, or other fluidheating systems, but for the purpose of illustration, it is shownapplied to a radiator 1 in Fig. 1, the improved heater being shown at 2.

This heater includes a header 3 in the form of a casting which isprovided with a recessed end forming a fluid chamber 4 provided with athreaded seat 5 for receiving the threaded end of the main outer casing6. One side of the header is formed with a cylindrical rojection 7having a threaded opening 8 t erein communicating with the fluid chamber4. The lower end of the main casing 6 is formed with a artial sphericalend 9 terminating in a smafi cylindrical extension 10 havin the threadedbore 11 formed therein an communicating with the interior of the casing.

This threaded bore llis adapted to receive the nipple 12 shown in Fig.1, and the threaded bore 8 is adapted to receive a nipple 13 also shownin Fig. 1, which serves to mount the heater on the radiator or otherdevice containin fluid to be heated, in such a manner that the passage12 from the nipple 13 through the casing will form one part of the fluidcirculation circuit.

A tubular inner casing or heater casing 14 is mounted within the casin 6and has the open end thereof mounted in the opening 15 in the header sothat communication is obtained through the upper end portion of theheader through the opening 15 for a purpose which will presently appear.The lower end of the casing 14 for the heater is closed and of conoidalform as indicated at 16 on both the interior and exterior thereof, sothat the flow through the casing of the fluid will be around the heatercasing and within the main casing 6. This flow will not be retarded onaccount of the construction of the lower end of the casing.

Adjacent the conoidal end 16 the heater casing is formed with an annularoutwardl projecting flange 17 which is provided wit a plurality ofradially extending arms 18 terminating in concentric relation with thesurface of the casing 14 and adapted for slidable interfittingconnection with the main casing 6 for centering the tubular heatercasing in concentric relation within the main casing.

A suitable insulating body 19 is formed with a spiral groove 20extending throughout the cylindrical surface of the same, for receivingthe heating elements 21, the ends of which are molded in the body andextend outwardly from the upper end portion as indicated at 22. Thelower end of the insulating body 19 is of conical form as indicated at23 for substantially accurately fitting the lower conoidal end 16 of theheater casing, so that the body is centered within the heater casing bythe cooperation of the conical end 23 with the end 16 in the heatercasing.

The upper end of the insulating body is formed with a shoulder 24 fromwhich extends ata ring projection 25 and an annular cap mem r 26 isthreaded mounted in the opening 15 as clearly shown in Fig. 2, so thatthe lower end will engage the shoulder 24, and will receive the taperedprojection 25 so as to rigidly secure the insulating body in positionwithin the heating casing. The tapered projection forms a means ofcentering' the upper end of the heating body in the casing. A plug 27 ofsuitable form receives the ends 22 of the wire and is formed of suitableinsulating material to prevent these ends from coming in contact withthe metallic cap 26, the plug being retained in the neck 28 formed onthe cap by a suitable set screw 29.

With this construction, the header 3 forms an assembly and mounting forall parts of the device, in view of the fact that it mounts the maincasing 6, the heater casing 14, and the cap 26 which together forms ameans of retaining and assembling all of the parts in operativerelation. The construction further provides for convenient attachment toany device containing fluid to be heated through the sleeves 7 and 10,so that the heater is supported on the radiator or other devicecontaining fluid.

lVith the heater in this position, it will be seen that the removal ofcap 26 from the header 3 will permit the removal of the body 19 and theheatin element, without in any way interfering with the fluid circuit orconnection, or permitting the leakage of fluid from the radiator, boileror the like. In this way, the heater element may be renewed or repairedin a most convenient manner. The formation of the body 19 with theconical end 23 and the tapered neck 25 will also provide for thecentering of the body as well as the effective mounting within theheater casing by the application of the cap 26 without other especialcentering means.

A further feature of this invention is the rovision of the annularflange 17 on the water casing of a predetermined size, according to thesize 0 the heating device for limiting the circulation therethrough, bylimiting the passage between the lower and the upper end of the maincasing for the fluid so that only an amount of fluid may flow past theheater and be heated as will correspond to the capacity of the devicefor heating the fluid, so that the fluid leaving the upper end of theheater through the sleeve extension? will be effectively heated.

It will therefore be clear that a substantially simple device has beenprovided for connecting an electric heater with a suitable devicecontaining fluid to be heated such as a boiler, radiator or the like, inwhich the fluid circuit through the heater is entirely separate from theheating chamber containing the heating elements, which is also removablewithout disconnecting the device from the boiler or radiator, orinterfering with the fluid circuit therethrough.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is An electricheater for fluids, comprising a header, an elongated main outer casingremovably connected at one end with the header, a heater casing mountedat one end in the header and having a closed free end of conoidal form,said header being formed with an openin registering with the heatercasing, an insu ating body adapted for removable insertion through theopening in the header into the heater casing, said body having a conicalend adapted to seat in the conoidal closed end of the heater casing, acap mounted in said opening in the header and having engagement with thebody for removably retaining said body in the heater casing, a heatingelement carried by the insulating body, and means for centering theheating body in the cap, said conical end on the heating body centeringthe opposite end thereof in the heater casing.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOSEPH HENRY VALIQUETTE.

